Sergeant salutes 6th-graders for support on tour

US Army Sgt. Brendan Davidson, of the EOD unit, jokes with Grace Peterson, 11, and asks if she's going to inquiry again whether he has friends. He visits 6th graders at Enders Elementary in Garden Grove to thank them for their homemade Christmas cards. He returned about two weeks ago from after being deployed in Afghanistan for nine months.CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

GARDEN GROVE – Wyatt Coulombe, 12, popped his head out of his classroom at Enders Elementary School and saw an Army sergeant in fatigues walking toward him.

His eyes lit up. Wyatt ran to the soldier and threw his arms around him, hugging him tight. He hadn't seen his cousin in two years.

Sgt. Brendan Davidson, who returned from a nine-month tour in Afghanistan Feb. 3 and is stationed at Fort Lewis, Wash., spoke to Wyatt's sixth-grade class Wednesday afternoon. It was an opportunity for Davidson, a member of a three-man bomb squad unit, to thank the children for the Christmas cards they sent him and his team, and to answer any questions they had – he discussed everything from his job to his favorite video game.

"I knew they were sending us cards, but I thought it was going to be a couple of cards," Davidson said moments before meeting the students. "But we got a whole box and a wreath, and each guy got a manila envelope full of cards. We were bummed out because it's Christmas and we're away from our families, and to get those cards was really cool."

Davidson, a California native who went to high school in Cypress, is in the middle of a one-month leave and arrived in Orange County just before he was supposed to meet the 26 students in teacher Courtney Holland's class. As Davidson walked into the room and moved to the front, the class was as attentive as if he was their commanding officer and they were infantrymen.

Davidson, though, instantly put the kids at ease – making them laugh several times, break out in cheers once (when he said "Call of Duty: Black Ops II" was his favorite game) and eagerly ask questions right up until the end of the school day.

"They put me in the bomb squad, and I was like, 'This is awesome,'" Davidson said, making the kids chuckle. "I love blowing stuff up."

He continued: "They put me in (bomb squad) school, and it was the hardest thing I've ever done. But it was worth it."

Last year, as Christmas was approaching, Davidson's aunt and Wyatt's mom, Denise Coulombe, told Wyatt's teacher, Courtney Holland, that Davidson would be in Afghanistan for the holidays. So they decided to have the class send him letters.

"I said, 'I miss you and I hope I see you again,'" said Wyatt, who was happy that his class sent cards to his cousin. "I think it was great."

Grace Petesch, 11, also wrote that she would like Davidson to visit: "I said, 'thank you for your service' and 'I hope to meet you someday.'"

Grace's sentiments were a common theme among the letters, according to Holland. They all wanted to meet him.

"They were so thrilled when they found out he was coming," Holland said.

Related Links

US Army Sgt. Brendan Davidson, of the EOD unit, jokes with Grace Peterson, 11, and asks if she's going to inquiry again whether he has friends. He visits 6th graders at Enders Elementary in Garden Grove to thank them for their homemade Christmas cards. He returned about two weeks ago from after being deployed in Afghanistan for nine months. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Grace Peterson, 11, reacts after asking US Army Sgt. Brendan Davidson, of the EOD unit, if he has friends. Her teacher jokingly reassured the Enders Elementary class that she really is a nice girl. The sixth grader meant did he have any friends in other military branches. He does. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
An embarrassed Grace Peterson, 11, left, rephases a question to US Army Sgt. Brendan Davidson, of the EOD unit. He talked about using robots to disarm bombs, his weapon of choice, Afghanistan children and more. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
US Army Sgt. Brendan Davidson, of the EOD unit, answers a question about disarming bombs and later answers personal questions at Enders Elementary in Garden Grove. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Enders Elementary sixth grader Michael Scott, 11, asks many, many worst scenario questions of US Army Sgt. Brendan Davidson, of the EOD unit and finishes his interrogation with a best case inquiry. The instructor later told him to give other classmates a chance to ask questions. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
US Army Sgt. Brendan Davidson, of the EOD unit, is handed two pieces of art from his cousin Wyatt Coulombe, 12, third from left. One is a picture of Davidson. The other has heart and reads, "I love you, I miss you and welcome back. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
US Army Sgt. Brendan Davidson, of the EOD unit, receives art from his cousin Wyatt Coulombe, 12. Davidson visits his cousin's sixth grade class at Enders Elementay in Garden Grove. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
US Army Sgt. Brendan Davidson, of the EOD unit, hugs his cousin Wyatt Coulombe, 12, after the Enders sixth grader gave him touching artwork. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
US Army Sgt. Brendan Davidson, of the EOD unit, answers a question about disarming bombs and later answers personal questions at Enders Elementary in Garden Grove. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Enders Elementary in Garden Grove found out that US Army Sgt. Brendan Davidson, of the EOD unit, favorite animal is a dog, prefers extreme heat to blistering cold and loves being able to take a shower and more. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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